Differential assembly with two-piece carrier and welded ring gear

Abstract

A differential assembly is provided to include a two-piece differential carrier, a differential gearset installed within a gearset chamber formed in the differential carrier, and a ring gear. An interlocking feature mechanically interconnects the ring gear to the first and second case members of the two-piece differential carrier and defines first and second weldment junctions. A first weld seam is located in the first weldment junction and connects the ring gear to the first case member while a second weld seam is located in the second weldment junction and connects the ring gear to the second case member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A differential assembly, comprising:
 a differential carrier having a first case member and a second case member together defining an internal gearset chamber, said first case member having a first groove surface and a first case weldment surface, said second case member having a second groove surface and a second case weldment surface, said first and second case members adapted to align said first and second groove surfaces to define an annular carrier groove; 
 a differential gearset installed within said gearset chamber of said differential carrier; and 
 a ring gear configured to surround said differential carrier and having an annular locator flange adapted to be located and retained within said carrier groove, said ring gear defining a first ring gear weldment surface adapted to be aligned with said first case weldment surface to establish a first weldment junction between said ring gear and said first case member, said ring gear further defining a second ring gear weldment surface adapted to be aligned with said second case weldment surface to establish a second weldment junction between said ring gear and said second case member; 
 wherein said ring gear is welded to said differential carrier by a first weld seam located along said first weldment junction and a second weld seam located along said second weldment junction, wherein said locator flange extends inwardly from an inner surface of a hub segment of said ring gear, wherein said inner diameter surface of said hub segment defines a first ring gear mount surface configured to be aligned with a first carrier mount surface formed on an outer surface of said first case member, and wherein said inner diameter surface of said hub segment further defines a second ring gear mount surface configured to be aligned with a second carrier mount surface formed on an outer surface of said second case member. 
 
     
     
       2. The differential assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first ring gear mount surface engages said first carrier mount surface when said locator flange engages said first groove surface of said carrier groove, and wherein said second ring gear mount surface engages said second carrier mount surface when said locator flange engages said second groove surface of said carrier groove. 
     
     
       3. The differential assembly of  claim 2  wherein said first groove surface and said first carrier mount surface are machined into said outer surface of said first case member, and wherein said second groove surface and said second carrier mount surface are machined into said outer surface of said second case member. 
     
     
       4. The differential assembly of  claim 2  wherein said first ring gear weldment surface is formed on a first edge portion of said hub segment and said first case weldment surface aligns with said first ring gear weldment surface to define a first weld groove, wherein said second ring gear weldment surface is formed on a second edge portion of said hub segment and said second case weldment surface aligns with said second ring gear weldment surface to define a second weld groove, wherein said first weldment junction is defined by said first weld seam located within said first weld groove, and wherein said second weldment junction is defined by said second weld seam being located within said second weld groove. 
     
     
       5. The differential assembly of  claim 4  wherein said first and second weld grooves are continuous and uninterrupted. 
     
     
       6. The differential assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second weld seams are continuous and uninterrupted. 
     
     
       7. The differential assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second case members are stamped components made of steel. 
     
     
       8. The differential assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second case members are forged components heat treated to define a martensitic structure. 
     
     
       9. The differential assembly of  claim 1  wherein said annular carrier groove is continuous and uninterrupted such that a continuous and uninterrupted locator flange is retained therein. 
     
     
       10. A differential assembly, comprising:
 a two-piece differential carrier having a first case member and a second case member together defining an internal gearset chamber, said first case member having an end face surface formed with an axially-extending locator flange, said second case member having an end face surface arranged to matingly engage said end face surface of said first case member and which is formed to include a carrier groove configured to enclose and retain said locator flange therein, said first case member defining a first case weldment surface and a first outer mounting surface, and said second case member defining a second outer mounting surface, a pilot flange extending radially from said second outer mounting surface, and a second case weldment surface formed on said pilot flange; 
 a differential gearset installed within said gearset chamber of said two-piece differential carrier; and 
 a ring gear configured to surround said differential carrier and having an inner mounting surface and a pilot groove formed in said inner mounting surface, said inner mounting surface adapted to be aligned with said first said first mounting surface on said first case member and with said second mounting surface on said second case member said pilot groove adapted to be located and retained in abutting engagement with said pilot flange, said ring gear defining a first ring gear weldment surface adapted to be aligned with said first case weldment surface to establish a first weldment junction between said ring gear and said first case member, said ring gear further defining a second ring gear weldment surface adapted to be aligned with said second case weldment surface to establish a second weldment junction between said ring gear and said second case member; 
 wherein said ring gear is welded to said differential carrier by a first weld seam located along said first weldment junction and a second weld seam located along said second weldment junction. 
 
     
     
       11. The differential assembly of  claim 10  wherein said first and second weld seams are continuous and uninterrupted. 
     
     
       12. The differential assembly of  claim 10  wherein said carrier groove is continuous and uninterrupted, and wherein said locator flange is continuous and uninterrupted. 
     
     
       13. The differential assembly of  claim 10  wherein said first and second case members are stamped components made from high strength steel. 
     
     
       14. A differential assembly, comprising:
 a differential carrier having a first case member and a second case member together defining an internal gearset chamber, said first case member having a first carrier mount surface, a first groove surface and a first case weldment surface, said second case member having a second carrier mount surface, a second groove surface and a second case weldment surface, said first and second case members adapted to align said first and second groove surfaces to define an annular carrier groove; 
 a differential gearset installed within said gearset chamber of said differential carrier; and 
 a ring gear configured to surround said differential carrier, said ring gear defining a first ring gear weldment surface adapted to be aligned with said first case weldment surface to establish a first weldment junction between said ring gear and said first case member, said ring gear further defining a second ring gear weldment surface adapted to be aligned with said second case weldment surface to establish a second weldment junction between said ring gear and said second case member, said ring gear having a hub segment having an inner surface from which an annular locator flange extends and which is configured to be disposed within said carrier groove, said inner surface of said hub segment defining a first ring gear mount surface on one side of the locator flange configured to be aligned with said first carrier mount surface when said locator flange is disposed within said first groove surface, and said inner surface of said hub segment defining a second ring gear mount surface on an opposite side of said locator flange configured to be aligned with said second carrier mount surface when said locator flange is disposed within said second groove surface; 
 wherein said ring gear is welded to said differential carrier by a first weld seam located along said first weldment junction and a second weld seam located along said second weldment junction. 
 
     
     
       15. The differential assembly of  claim 14  wherein said first groove surface and said first carrier mount surface are machined into an outer surface of said first case member, and wherein said second groove surface and said second carrier mount surface are machined into an outer surface of said second case member. 
     
     
       16. The differential assembly of  claim 14  wherein said first case weldment surface aligns with said first ring gear weldment surface to define a first weld groove, wherein said second case weldment surface aligns with said second ring gear weldment surface to define a second weld groove, wherein said first weldment junction is defined by said first weld seam being located within said first weld groove, and wherein said second weldment junction is defined by said second weld seam being located within said second weld groove. 
     
     
       17. The differential assembly of  claim 16  wherein said first and second weld grooves are continuous and uninterrupted. 
     
     
       18. The differential assembly of  claim 14  wherein said carrier groove is continuous and uninterrupted such that a continuous and uninterrupted locator flange is retained therein. 
     
     
       19. The differential assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first case weldment surface aligns with said first ring gear weldment surface to define a first weld groove, wherein said second case weldment surface aligns with said second ring gear weldment surface to define a second weld groove, wherein said first weldment junction is defined by said first weld seam being located within said first weld groove, and wherein said second weldment junction is defined by said second weld seam being located within said second weld groove.